A Day at the Zoo
by Chiri Kushi
Summary: I was given a challenge a while ago, and here is the end result. AU


Title: A Day at the Zoo  
Author: Chiri Kushi  
Fandom: CSI: Miami  
Category: General, with a bit of Romance  
Pairing: Calleigh and Ryan  
Rating: K+ for mild language  
Spoilers: none  
Disclaimer: I do not own  
Author's Note: This is in response to a challenge that was given at Talk. - Characters: Horatio, Ryan & Calleigh. Must be no more than 2000 words. Include a rubber duck, a shoe, some coconuts and the phrase "My, what big teeth you have."

* * *

Whatever convinced him to watch his sister's kids, he'll never know. He grumbled sleepily into his pillow, thankful that it was Saturday, and his day off. All he wanted to do was sleep. Hallie and Abigail, his two nieces, however had other plans.

"Uncle Ry, Uncle Ry! It's Saturday! You promised you'd take us to the zoo! Remember? You said if we ate ALLL of our vegetables you'd take us to see the animals today!" The youngest one, Hallie exclaimed as she jumped onto his king sized bed.

Ryan Wolfe moaned as he rolled over, opening his eyes slowly to look at the pajama clad five year old, "I did say that didn't I? I shouldn't break my promise should I?"

Hallie shook her head no, "Mommy says that when you promise to do something you better be damn sure to keep your promise."

Ryan chuckled as he stretched, "I'm also sure that she wouldn't like you to say that word. Would she? Okay, let me get up, get some coffee into my system, and we can all get ready to go to the zoo."

Her eyes brightened as she jumped off the bed, "Okay! I'll go make us some breakfast!" She ran out of the room, almost running into Abigail.

He looked at Abigail, as he got up into a sitting position, "You haven't said much about the zoo, didn't you want to go too?"

She shrugged, "It's cruel to keep wild animals caged up like that."

"For some of those animals it's the only way to keep their species from being extinct," he said as he put his slippers on his feet, "I'm going to go make some coffee, and make sure your sister doesn't attempt to burn down my kitchen. Will you be ready to go in about an hour?"

Abigail looked down at her jeans and black t-shirt, "I'm ready now, and I'm not hungry."

Ryan nodded as he walked past her, "Ok, if you change your mind, you know where to find the food."

He walked into the kitchen and looked at Hallie as she continued to look in the fridge, right hand on her hip, her left hand to her lip, and a contemplative look on her face. He smiled at the image, smiled at how much she looked just like her mom. "What are you looking for Sweetie?"

She looked up at him, "I'm trying to find the fruit. I want cereal and fruit."

He nodded, "Ok cereal and fruit. What kind of cereal and what kind of fruit?"

She looked up at him, with an expressionless face, "Um..."

Ryan chuckled, "Ok, how about I choose the cereal, and the fruit?" He grabbed at the coconuts on the bottom shelf, "How about coconut?"

Hallie stuck her tongue out. Ryan chuckled as he grabbed the two oranges, he'll save the coconuts for a later date.

* * *

An hour and forty five minutes later; after Ryan and Hallie both were fed, and Hallie was washed and dressed, they were ready to go to the zoo.

Well, almost ready anyway, "Hallie, Abby, have you seen my shoe?" Ryan walked down the hallway, towards the bathroom. He loved his nieces, truly he did, but they wreck havoc on his OCD, and he was going crazy because he couldn't find his left shoe. He walked into the bathroom, hoping maybe his shoe was in there. Taking a step into the threshold he stopped short. "Son of a Bitch!" he exclaimed as the rubber duck squeaked back at Ryan.

A sudden gasp was heard behind him. He turned toward the gasp, toward Hallie holding his left shoe, mouth agape, "You said a naughty word, Uncle Ry!"

He grinned as he walked toward her, reaching for his shoe, "I know sweetie. I'm sorry. Thank you for finding my shoe."

She smiled, "Its okay. Can we go to the zoo now?"

He nodded in reply, "Yes, we can go to the zoo. Abby, let's go!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming," Abigail said as she walked out of the living room, her IPOD going into her ears.

Ryan rolled his eyes, "No wonder your mom was pissed off when I bought that for you."

* * *

"Uncle Ry! That's a monkey!" Hallie yelled as she pulled on Ryan's hand toward the Monkey Exhibit.

He smiled as he looked at the monkey she was talking about, "That's a chimpanzee."

She nodded, "Uh-huh, and they like to eat bananas!"

"Bananas? Are you sure they don't like strawberries?"

She shook her head, "No you silly goose! They eat bananas. Mommy said so."

"Oh, okay. Maybe I was wrong then," he said as he looked onwards towards the Big Cat exhibit, on the other side of the zoo, "Hey, Abby. Look, want to go see the panthers after the monkeys?" He looked back at Abigail. She had her head down, looking at her IPOD, her head moving to the beat of the song she was listening to, ignoring Ryan. He shook his head as he looked back at Hallie, "She's such a spoil sport."

Hallie rolled her eyes, "Tell me about it. I want to see the wolves!"

Ryan was always amazed at how quick the young girls mind raced from one thing to another, "The wolves? Why do you want to see the wolves?"

"Because you were named after one! Weren't you?" she said as she dragged him towards the Big Cats exhibit.

"You're mom was too, you know," he said as he pulled her towards the opposite direction, "Come on, the wolves are this way."

Hallie looked at him confused, "Uncle Ry, you're so silly sometimes! Mommy and Daddy were named after a book!"

Ryan looked at her, with the same expression the young girl had, "A book? Oh, right. Their last name is Page, so they were named after a book. I see your logic." He chuckled at how bright she was, and looked back toward a motionless Abigail, "Hey Abby. Earth to Abby. Walk this way."

He walked back toward her, and tapped her on the shoulder. Jumping a mile high she looked at Ryan as she pulled an earphone out of her ear, "Geez. What?"

"We are going this way towards the wolves. Please, come join us," he said as Hallie started to pull him again.

"...And then Little Red Riding Hood says, 'My what big ears you have Grandma,'" Hallie said as she watched the timber wolf eat its lunch.

"The better to hear you my dear," Ryan leaned toward her ear and whispered, keeping one eye on the wolf, and the other on Abigail.

"And then she says, "My what big eyes you have Grandma."

He looks her in the eyes, and watched her smile, "The better to see you my dear."

"My, what big teeth you have."

Confused, Ryan stood up and turned around. He smiled as he caught a glimpse of blond hair and green eyes. He stepped closer as the mystery woman took a step toward Ryan. "The better to eat you with!" he exclaimed as he engulfed her in a surprise hug.

She giggled as she hugged back. She pulled away and waved to the little girl looking at her with a confused look on her face. She kneeled to get to Hallie's eye level, "Hi. I'm Calleigh Duquesne."

The once confused Hallie grinned, "Oh. Mommy talks about you a lot. Says you are very pretty, and doesn't know how Uncle Ry was able to catch you."

Calleigh full heartedly laughed as Ryan rubbed his eyes in embarrassment. "And, what do you think?"

Hallie rubbed her chin as if to think about the question, "I think mommy's right. You are very pretty."

Calleigh blushed, "Why thank you!" she stood back up and looked at Ryan, "Hey Babe."

"Hey. What are you doing here?" he said as leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"I'm working a case over at the Hyena den," she looked down at Hallie and then back up to Ryan, "I went outside to take a lunch break when I saw you walk towards the wolves' exhibit. Coming to trace your ancestors?"

He laughed, "Hardly. Hallie just wanted to see the animal I was named after." Calleigh looked at him, "Ok, so I guess in a way we are tracing my ancestors. In a crazed logic way. Anyway, you've met Hallie, my five year old- knows way too much information- niece. It seems like you two will get along fine. That one over there," he says as he pointed to Abigail, watching the wolf continue to eat, "That would be Abby. The thirteen year old- I don't care- niece."

"Ah right, the niece you got the IPOD for," She said as she raised an eyebrow.

He cleared his throat, and walked over to Abigail. He waved a hand in front of her face, forcing her out of her trance. She looked up at him, "What?"

"I want you to meet someone," he said as he went back toward Calleigh, "Calleigh, meet Abby. Abby, meet Calleigh."

"Oh, you are Uncle Ryan's girlfriend," Abigail said as she put her earphones back on.

Calleigh looked at Ryan, "Just how much do you talk about me?" Ryan rolled his eyes, "Come on, walk me back to 'work'."

Ryan looked at Abigail, "Hey Abby," she turned around, "Can I trust you to watch Hallie for a few minutes?" She rolled her eyes and nodded at the same time. "Thank you," he said as he grabbed Calleigh's hand.

They walked back in silence, hand in hand, both silently wishing they were anywhere but here, walking Calleigh back to her job.

They stopped short as Horatio Caine walked out of the dark den like building. He smiled as he saw the two of them, "Mr. Wolfe, what a pleasant surprise. Did you come to give us a hand?"

Ryan looked at Calleigh and back to Horatio, "Sorry H. Wish that I could, but I have a prior engagement to attend to."

"Yeah. Ryan has a date with two girls," Calleigh said as she grinned.

Horatio chuckled, "Okay then. I'm sure you'll change your mind once you drop off your 'dates'," he looked to Calleigh, "I was just about to come find you, but since your here, I'll meet you back inside."

"Sure thing, Horatio," she said as she turned towards Ryan, "Are we still on for tonight?"

"Of course. Be prepared to enter a tropical oasis when you step through the threshold of the Ryan Wolfe residence," he said as he kissed her check, "Have fun at work. I'll see you at seven tonight."

She nodded as she pecked his lips, "You bet, Mr. Wolfe. Go back to your Wolfe Pack."

She walked toward the Hyena den and he walked back towards the wolf den, hoping that Abigail hasn't attempted to feed Hallie to the wolves.


End file.
